Tsunami

2004 December - Scores of people are killed and many islands suffer severe damage when a tsunami generated by a powerful undersea earthquake off the Indonesian coast hits the Maldives. The government says the disaster set development work back by 20 years.

Long-term leader

2006 August - President Gayoom pardons senior opposition figure Jennifer Latheef, who was serving a 10-year term on terrorism charges, but she refuses to recognise the pardon and demands a retrial to clear her name.

2007 August - Voters in a referendum back President Gayoom's proposal for a presidential system of government.

2014 March - The Maldives Supreme Court gives all four election commissioners six-month suspended jail sentences for "disobeying orders". In October 2013 the head of the commission criticised the Supreme Court after it annulled presidential election deemed free and fair by observers.

Protests mount

2015 March - Former president Mohammed Nasheed is jailed for 13 years after being found guilty on terrorism charges. The verdict, which his party says is politically motivated. elicits international concern from governments and rights groups.

2015 - November - Government declares state of emergency for 30 days ahead of mass rally in support of jailed former president Nasheed, allowing security forces to detain suspects without charge, and shutting down major online news sites.

2015 - November - Government lifts state of emergency following mounting international pressure.

Government crackdown

2016 February - Sheikh Imran Abdulla, the leader of the Islamist opposition Adhaalath Party, is jailed for 12 years on a terrorism charge for inciting unrest during an anti-government rally.

Image copyrightGetty ImagesImage caption
Former President Mohamed Nasheed was granted refugee status in the United Kingdom in 2016

2016 May - Former president Mohamed Nasheed is granted refugee status in Britain.

2016 June - Former vice-president Ahmed Adeeb is convicted of plotting to assassinate President Abdulla Yameen and jailed for 15 years.

2016 October - The Maldives announces it is leaving the Commonwealth. The international organisation had earlier warned the country that it risked suspension if it failed to show progress in promoting democracy.

2018 February - Political turmoil as government defies Supreme Court order to free prisoners whose convictions it had quashed.